Graney: How 63-21 changed Raiders, Chargers franchises forever

It altered the paths of two NFL franchises, a 63-21 final in which the Raiders took full advantage of a disinterested Chargers side Dec. 14.

You remember: Just four days after being shut out 3-0 at home against the Vikings, the Raiders put a massive whooping on the visiting Bolts from Los Angeles.

And then things really began to happen.

The Chargers fired coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco following the loss, one in which the team wanted nothing to do with competing at Allegiant Stadium.

The Raiders set a franchise record for points. I’m surprised it wasn’t more. The Chargers were beyond woeful in every manner. They wore white jerseys and might as well have used them as flags to wave.

It was 42-0 at halftime.

Finishing things

The Raiders and Chargers meet again Sunday at SoFi Stadium to open the 2024 season. Things look a lot different now. Jim Harbaugh is coach of the Chargers and Telesco was hired as general manager of the Raiders in January.

Things look a lot different thanks to a certain blowout.

Antonio Pierce was still coaching the Raiders under an interim tag at the time after Josh McDaniels was fired eight games into the 2023 season with a 3-5 record.

The team still had three games to go after the win — it won at Kansas City, lost at Indianapolis and beat Denver to finish 8-9 — but crushing the Chargers no doubt influenced owner Mark Davis’ decision to keep Pierce in charge full-time.

The irony is the Raiders couldn’t have looked more inept offensively against the Vikings. Pierce’s side was blanked at home and quarterback Aidan O’Connell was awful. The rookie took the blame for the loss, saying his decisions at the line of scrimmage weren’t up to par for an NFL player. They weren’t.

But the Raiders’ improvement in such a short amount of time says something about their coach and his ability to motivate others. Pierce earned the locker room’s support, as evidenced by the victory cigars that became popular under him after wins.

This part won’t surprise you: Nobody on the Raiders — players and coaches alike — want anything to do with talking about 63-21 now. That was last year, they say. Totally different teams. Totally different circumstances.

And they’re right. So much has changed with both teams. It’s also a season opener. It’s not playing out a string of games in December.

It won’t be what we saw from the Chargers in 2023.

Maximum effort

“We just didn’t have a good game tonight,” Staley said following 63-21. “We didn’t have it from the beginning to the end. It’s just one of those games where nothing went right for us. We got a good group of guys, but it was just one of those games where all three phases, the worst thing happened to us tonight. It’s a reflection of all of us.”

He was fired after the game. So was Telesco. Now, things look different for both franchises as they prepare to open a new season against each other.

Just don’t expect a 42-point margin.

I mean, both teams should give maximum effort this time.

No matter what colored jerseys they are wearing.

Ed Graney, a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing, can be reached at [email protected]. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on X.